A Girl’s Guide To Face Serums

Cleaning your face and keeping it moisturized and hydrated can make your skin look young and glowing. For most people, this routine is enough to maintain their skin’s health.  However, if you want to take your skin care routine to another level, you can try adding one more product in your beauty cabinet. Face serums promise a lot of things for your skin. 

What exactly are face serums?

Face serums are enriched with concentrated amounts of active ingredients which could be one of the reasons why they can be quite expensive. However, because they are concentrated, you only need to use a small amount. 

Serums are also lighter than your average moisturizers, which makes them readily absorbed by your skin. Serums are also able to penetrate your skin’s deeper layers.

Do you really need a face serum? 

You may not use a face serum, if you prefer. However, if you want to increase the effectiveness of your current skin care routine, you can choose to use one. Serums can also help make your skin be in its best condition possible.

Do I need to choose the expensive ones?

Although expensive serums mean more quality ingredients, there are still serums that can give you the same effectiveness without breaking your budget. The key here is to look for the right ingredients that your skin needs. Here are some of the ingredients you should be keeping an eye out for:

• Retinol enriched serums for brighter and smoother skin
• Essential oil enriched serums for your skin’s overnight repair
• Anti-oxidant enriched serums for preventing premature skin aging
• Anti-inflammatory serums for soothing your skin’s redness and inflammation.

When should I apply my serum?

Generally speaking, serums are best applied on a clean face. After washing and toning, you can start applying serum when the skin is still moist. Avoid mixing it with any other product to achieve its best effect.

Although serums have many benefits for your skin, you should still take caution in using them. Serums are concentrated products which means you should not use too much of it on your skin. 

You should also take note of any pre-existing skin conditions you have. Serums are contraindicated to cases of rosacea and eczema. If you have any of these cases, it would be best to skip serums.


Ready to use Serums on your face? Take a look at these selected face serums on COSME-DE.COM

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

SK-II Cellumination Aura Essence

Clarins Shaping Facial Lift
Total V Contouring Serum

Helena Rubinstein Prodigy Powercell
Youth Grafter The Serum

More Face Serums:
http://www.cosme-de.com/en/product/product_list.html?catid=101104

New In: SK-II Mid-Day and Mid-Night Miracle Essence

Good news for SK-II Facial Treatment Essence fans! 

To celebrate its 35^th anniversary, SK-II will be releasing Mid-Day and Mid-Night Miracle Essence in Japan on the 21^st of April.

Coming in convenient 50ml spray bottles, they make the beloved Facial Treatment Essence more portable. Apart from a high level of Pitera, the new Miracle Essence also comes with added MoistureLock Complex, which contains natural moisturizing factors that bind water with skin tissue to lock in moisture. Using Mid-Day MiracleEssence
in your morning skincare routine can help make skin more hydrated. 

According to SK-II’s studies, the skin’s moisture levels drop significantly from 4pm to 8pm as compared to in the morning, which can explain why our makeup usually dries out around that time. With fine mist particles that are 1/4 the size of visible skin pores, a spray of the Miracles Essence instantly penetrates and replenishes skin with moisture. A single application can give long-lasting moisture for up to 4 hours.

Mid-Night Miracle Essence is also infused with cooling agent to soothe environmental stresses during the day and give a refreshing feeling to the skin.

SK-II recommends using the Miracle Essences 5 times daily for best results. Using 14 days continuously can make the skin a lot more hydrated and clear, with less visible wrinkles.

I’m already adding these two bottles to my wish list, how can you miss it? 

SK-II CC Cream: The Art of Glowing Nude Makeup

Spring time means it’s time to wear those floral print dresses and let your bare face shines. However, we were not all blessed with perfect skin, and wearing heavy foundation is a no-no in the humid weather.

CC cream is the perfect choice during this time of the year.

What’s the difference between BB cream and CC cream?




Although BB cream and CC cream have been in the market for quite some time, many people still ask the question – what’s the difference?

To briefly explain it, BB cream stands for Blemish Balm, it is initially designed to protect and nourish traumatized skin. Later, cosmetic companies improved the formula and turned it into a makeup product. One common problem of BB cream is that the color is too grayish and unnatural, but recent products have improved a lot on this area.

CC cream stands for Color Control Cream, and it is an upgraded version of BB cream. It also boosts nourishing and color-correcting function, while strengthening nourishment benefits such as whitening, moisturizing and anti-allergy. The texture of CC cream is more lightweight and hydrating than BB cream, and has a more natural concealing effect.

SK-II Auractivator CC Cream SPF50+ / PA++++


A CC cream that has drawn much attention recently, this product combines skin-nourishing and makeup benefits in one tube: whitening, moisturizing, brightening, concealing and UV protection. Not only does it conceal blemishes and spots perfectly, it also diffuses light on your face evenly to create a flawless, glowing complexion. This cc cream also has a high UV protection and active whitening ingredients, making it a comprehensive skin-protecting makeup product.

http://www.cosme-de.com/en/product/product_page.html?pdid=10915

5 major benefits:

Brightening: 40% of whitening ingredients from SK-II’s best-selling Cellumination Aura Essence, boosts skin’s inner luminosity. After trying for 4 weeks, skin illuminates with radiance.

Moisturizing: The light, hydrating formulation glides easily onto the skin.

Glowing: Iridescent micro pearl pigments instantly improve skin’s surface glow.

Coverage: The natural tint conceals spots and imperfections for a flawless finish.

Protection: SPF 50+ PA++++ protects skin against future damage from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

With nourishing, beautifying effects and a lightweight texture, SK-II Auractivator CC Cream SPF50+ / PA++++ is your must-have makeup up this spring and summer!

The Miraculous Pitera™: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

As we age, signs of aging such as wrinkles, dryness, dullness and sagginess start to appear on our skin. When combined with environmental factors like UV rays and harsh weather, the problems could become more serious. This is when a powerful skincare product comes in helpful.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, also known as the Miracle Water, has over 90% Pitera™ - the miracle ingredient discovered by SK-II scientists in a sake brewery, where they chanced upon the soft and youthful hands of aged sake brewers. A rigorous search of over 350 kinds of yeast was conducted before the unique yeast strain that held the secret to crystal clear skin was found.

Pitera™ is a clear liquid derived from natural fermentation process, which is full of vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids; enhancing the skin’s rejuvenation process. Used as the second point of your ritual, this Essence gently exfoliates the face to improve skin’s texture and clarity for a crystal-clear complexion.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence works magic in a short time. After just 14 days, your skin is visibly transformed in 5 aspects: spots are less visible, appearance of wrinkles is reduced, skin texture is more refined, firmness is improved, and radiance is beautifully elevated.

Beautiful skin starts with proper cleansing and using effective products. Try out this much-loved and best-selling signature item today!

7 Amazing Anti-Aging Tips for Your Skin

Aging – so unavoidable. It can change the way your skin looks earlier than you expect, and most people find aging signs as they hit the big 3-0. Although we cannot control genetic factors such as a decrease in estrogen levels which can lead to saggy skin, there are a lot of external influences on how our skin ages. Knowing the proper anti-aging care can help slow down the clock.

1. Eat WellYou might expect skincare products to do the job when it comes to turning back the clock, but young-looking skin starts with nutrients that reach it from within the body. The skin is the largest organ of our body, after all. Therefore, maintaining a healthy diet can have a positive effect on fighting the signs of aging.

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals that lead to skin aging. Eat green and red vegetables like spinach, broccoli, tomatoes and carrots, and blue and purple berries. These foods contain antioxidants that help prevent the formation of free radicals. If you can get your hands on maqui berry, we really recommend it as these super-fruits contain the highest amount of antioxidants around. Also eat foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, which help protect the skin’s moisture barrier that tends to become thin as we age.

2. Wear Sunscreen
UV light is the number one cause of wrinkles, because sun exposure can damage elastin and cause loss of collagen, which results in the appearance of wrinkles. Moreover, studies show that UVA rays are responsible for inducing the grayish, yellow-y cast you see on older skin. So, remember to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, rain or shine! 

3. Get Moving Exercise has immense benefits for your body and skin. Not only does it strengthen your heart and reduce risks of various diseases, it also boosts your immune system and improves circulation, which in turn brings a rosy, healthy complexion..

4. Beauty Sleep Your body and skin repair and regenerate during sleep. Research shows that if you sleep less than 6 hours a night, you are at greater risk of having a heart attack or strokes. Also, a lack of sleep makes you more agitated and prone to anger, which may trigger hormonal imbalances and signs of aging. Sleep at least 8 hours per night for maintaining good health and beautiful skin.

5. Drink Plenty of Water We always recommend enough water. Young and beautiful skin is supple and moist. Moisture functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. Make sure to drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water a day, as dehydration will make your skin look dry and wrinkled. Moreover, water helps flush out waste and toxins from your system to improve health and achieve radiant-looking skin. 

6. Effective Skincare RoutineGreat skin doesn’t require complicated skincare procedures, as long as you get the basics right. Remove your makeup before going to sleep every night, and use a 3-step regime for your skin type. To achieve youthful and glowy skin, try exfoliating once a week. This is because the turnover rate of skin cells lowers as you age, resulting in loss of firmness and luster. Peeling can help remove dead skin cells to eliminate dullness while stimulating collagen growth for a firmer contour.

7. Try Retinol Cream

Consider a wrinkle cream that contains retinol, a derivative from Vitamin A. It can minimize the appearance of wrinkles, strengthens skin’s thickness and elasticity, slow down the breakdown of collagen, and fade brown spots caused by UV rays.

Slowing down the clock is not impossible, you just need to start early and remember to create a healthy and regular routine. What are your favorite anti-aging secrets? Let us know!

The best moisturizers - Paper masks

I just came back from US and I discovered something quite interesting there.

Since I forgot to bring my paper masks so I thought "it's ok, I will get some there in the supermarkets or beauty stores." To my surprise, I could only find one brand and it doesn't look like it's good quality. So I didn't buy it at the end, I just used my cream moisturising mask, which wasn't bad, but I think it's always good to use paper mask like twice a week to really replenish the skin. And I have been using it every day since I came back a week ago to give back the moisture needed for the month in the US! :P But still I really don't understand why there aren't many paper masks in US?!

Here are some good paper masks I used and recommend (I suggest getting at least 3 pieces of a brand to really see the result):

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Mask Sheet

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Mask Sheet contains essence formulated mask sheetsupplies rich collagen and moisture to facial complexion. Contains active ingredients: Baobab Tree extract and Collagen.

b.liv Japan Silk Mask Sensitive Salvation Repair & Rescue 

b.liv Utmost Moisture Immerse Me covers your skin with a generous boost of hydration! Immerse me acts like a balm for parched and dry complexion as it gets absorbed in a blink of an eye and makes sure your skin's longing hydration will never turn tail.

SK-II Facial Treatment Mask

SK-II Facial Treatment Mask boosts radiance and moisture levels and can be used by all skin types throughout the year. The mask literally drenches your skin in SK-II Pitera, resulting in a fresher and more hydrated complexion.

 For Beloved One Extreme Hydration Extreme Hydration Bio-Cellulose Mask

Innovative ion-inducing bio-cellulose masks contain multiple moisturizing ingredients that provide outstanding moisturizing effects and restore the youth of skin. For Beloved One Extreme Hydration Bio-Cellulose Mask is well-known for its pioneering invention of bio-cellulose as the facial mask sheet.